SUQUAMISH — Dressed as Uncle Sam, Catherine Ahl gave it her all to support Initiative 747.

“The government can get used to having less money,” she said citing Initiative 695, which did away with the vehicle excise tax.

“I-695 was all doom and gloom. But the ferries are still running and we have some roads,” she continued as she played the role of I -747 author Tim Eyman.

But even with the flag-studded hat, she was far from convincing. Her sarcastic tone must have given her away.

Ahl, legislative representative for the North Kitsap School Board, wore a different hat Wednesday when she participated in the Kitsap County League of Women Voters forum at the Suquamish Congregational Community Church.

She and her fellow leaguers debated the initiatives on the Nov. 6 ballot.

People were paired up and didn’t necessarily argue on the side that they personally believed in, as Ahl illustrated.

“I liked that our league members can delve into the issues,” said Kitsap League president Kim Abel.

“It brings up issues that I never think about,” she said.

The issues that debated in the forum included a smoker-subsidized expansion of health services for the working poor, a government board to oversee home health care professionals, and appointment of pro-tem judges in superior courts.

And then there is Eyman’s proposal.

I-747 proposes a one percent increase cap be placed on property tax rates. Currently, the rates have a cap of the rate of inflation, about 6 percent. If the initiative passes, basic services such as education, emergency services and hospital services could expect reduced funding.

Although the league has agreed to support Initiative-773, the argument for that initiative wasn’t so clear cut.

I-773 would add a 60-cent tax on cigarette packs to fund health care for low income families.

“This is a sweet deal,” said Jean Moehring, who took the “yes” side of the argument. The initiative would provide health care for about 50,000 more low income families.

Her opponent Judy Freidberg-Nerf said the initiative just “blows smoke.”

“It raises important questions, but it doesn’t solve them,” she said.

She said there is no guarantee the initiative would generate the millions of dollars it is expected to and no defined programs where the money would go.

“Half the Washington residents who qualify won’t get the services,” Freidberg-Nerf said.

At then end of each five minute pro and con presentation league members asked questions about the topics. The most questions were generated about Initiative-775, on which the state league has not taken a position.

Norma Forbes and Mary Ellen Madison launched the debate on whether the state would create a board to see to it that the poor and disabled seniors receive proper in home health care. They would also set incentives for home care professionals so that more people enter the field.

“The need greatly exceeds the pool of qualified people,” Forbes said.

Not only that but the job is demanding on all fronts, and the pay is less than rewarding.

“It’s not something you would choose to do as a hobby. Taking people to the bathroom and clean up messes,” she said.

WIth some health care professionals making less than $8 an hour, a high school student working at a fast food restaurant gets paid better.

“The devil is in the details,” argued Madison who took on the con side of the argument.

“I have become less enamored of the initiative way of doing things,” she said and pointed out 775 would add another layer of bureaucracy to an already clogged government process.